Brush-mounting means



March 6, 1956 w. A. LOMBARDI 2,736,916

BRUSH-MOUNTING MEANS Filed Jan. .'51, 1950 i dm HUI"

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS United States Patent C BRUSH-MOUNTING MEANS William A. Lombardi, Derby, Conn.

Application January 31, 1950, Serial No. 141,420

18-Clams. (Cl. 15-183) My invention relates to brushes and in particular to supporting .means `and to a method of assembly for brushes composed of one or more strip-type brush elements. The'invention is in the nature of an improvement over the constructions shown in my copending patent application Serial No. 750,928, liled May 28, 1947, now Patent 2,651,798, September 15, 1953.

It is an object of my invention to provide an improved device and method lof the character indicated.

It is another object to provide -improved clamping means for a brush-supporting structure of the character indicated.

It is a further object to provide van improved supporting means for a brush strip.

It is also an object to provide a brush-strip supporting means that may integrally include meansfor'clamping the supporting structure maybe assembled to brush elements so permanently as never torpermit the loss ordislocation of'a' brush elementi.A

Other objects and various further features of' novelty 40 and invention will be-pointed'out` or will occur to' those skilled in the art from a reading ofthe following specification in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings;` In

said drawings, which show, for illustrative purposesonly, Y

preferred forms ofthe invention:

Fig. l is a fragmentary perspective view of' a partially* assembled cylindrical -brush configurationutilizingv 'supporting meansof the invention;

Figs. 2 and 3'are enlarged sectional views more or less in the plane 2 2 of Fig. 1 and showing, respectively, Vthe relation of parts prior to and after a clamping or securing operation;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary end view of a partially'assembled mo-died construction;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view more-or less `in the plane 5 5 of Fig. 4 and showing the parts prior to a securing opera'- tion; v

Figs. 6 and 7 are views similar to Fig.5, :but showing two alternative ways of securing the assembly of Figs. 4

and 5;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary end view of a reinforcedconstruction utilizingthe supporting means 'of' Fig. 4;

Figs. 9fand l0 are enlargedfragmentary sectional views Figs. ll and 'l2 are enlarged fragmentary sectional' views generallysimilar `to Figs. 9 and l0 but illustrating,"

respectively, the unsecured and the secured relation of parts in a further embodiment of the invention.

Briey statedgmy invention contemplates an. improvedv brush-supporting'structure and method of'" assembly for ICC preferably `of one-piece construction and is made from sheet material, and what is effectively an excess of material may be provided between adjacent slotted openings so that, after transverse or longitudinal insertion of brush strip holders in the various slots, the excess materialmay serve to bind, dig into, or clamp the brush strip holder, as after a deforming operationgthe plate may then securely anchor the brush strips in assembled relation therewith.

In one general arrangement to be described, the excess material betweenadajcent 'slotted openings is generally longitudinally bent out of the plane of supporting plate so as to utilizea lateral deformation in the securing or clamping operation. In another general arrangement', the

excess material Vis provided in the form of oppositely other to permityready' longitudinal slidable insertion of' a brush strip, but the clearance between opposed projec' tions is lessthan the b a'se widthor the maxirnum'width of the brush-strip 'binder or' holder. Securing .is then achieved by"be'nding, in a generally radially inward'di-- rection, the tabs' formedlby'the material between adjacentv slotted openings; In' still another general varrangement and method, Jthe excessmaterial at the slottedopenings is not deformed butis utilized'in an effective reduction of the projectedjslot area, upon a relative transverse orrotational displacement of two' spaced, vsupporting means;

Referring to Figs.' 1, 2, and 3 ofthe drawings, myv invention is shown in application to an 'assembly of in-" dividual *brush-*strip* elements 1S upon longitudinally spaced supporting means `16 of the invention. The brush strips 15 may comprise bristles 17` bent'around an an' choring core Orwire ISY'andheldclamped by a lgenerally U-shaped holder'or `binding member 19,"soas to project in 'essentially onedirection for the longitudinal extent of the brush.'V The base ofthe brush strip 15 may be some# what/'bulbousor*trapezoidal' in section, with thewider portion or baseat the'bottom.

Inaccordance withthe invention, I provide aniimprov'ed" supporting and anchoring means for brush strips `of'theA character"indicated.fr Such means may be formed `integrallyl out of Aa single' plate 16 of sheet material,.and, if desired, as in the cylindricalconfiguratiori shown,"a

central flanged or bossedjportion' 20 may .be integrally drawnoutof the material'of 'the lp1ate16, for mounting on'anJ arbor onshaft (not shown). In order to' locate the brush strips I define a plurality of outwardly facing i slots or pockets 21-`angularly spacedl about the periphery. L

of'the plate'16 andopeniug'outwardly on the periphery. The slots or'pockets 21 may be' denedby punching out of an edge'of sheet-material, as outofthe 'peripheries'of th'eipresent circular plates, or they-may be defnedbetween adjacent'lugs struck out' of'and bent up from the surface of a Vsupporting plate as shown and described in my copendingpatent vapplication Serial No. 165,929, ld

151 therein;'and,` fo'r-'thltype of brush strip .-shown herein,

it will be appreciated that the outer limits, as at 22, of each slotted opening or pocket 21 may project or converge toward one another so as partially to close off the openings 21 for the brush strips 15. It will be understood that for other types of brush strip wherein the lateral sides of the binder strip 19 do not converge as shown, the slotted openings 21 may be formed so that the converging projecting extremities 22 of the pockets 21 may radially locatingly embrace the upper edge or limit 23 of the brush strip 15.

In accordance with the invention, the material of the plate between adjacent slots 21, as at what may be termed tab portions 2d, is of deformable material and is effectively formed with an excess of material so that, upon deformation following insertion of a brush strip 15, the deformation may Vfirmly bind and secure the brush strip in the assembly. In the arrangement of Figs. l, 2, and 3, the excess deformable material is in the form of longitudinally projecting lugs or flange portions 25-26 at opposite sides of each slot, at least near the outer limit of the slet; and, if desired, the longitudinal projections 25-2-6 may be continuously formed as a single U-shaped flange, including bottom portion 27.

In Fig. 2, it will be seen that the deformable portions 25-26 preferably just clear the inserted brush-strip binder 19 so as to permit free longitudinal sliding insertion thereof for preliminary assembly. To complete the assembly, opposed flange or lug members 25-26 may be squeezed together and into the brush binder 19 (see Fig. 3). This squeezing operation may produce a local inward deformation of the binder i9, as at 27, and such deformation of the binder 19 will be understood to provide, in cooperation with the lugs 25--26, a secure axially locating and radially inwardly holding anchorage for the brush strip. In practice, I have found it convenient to perform the nal deformation, not by squeezing pairs of lugs 25-26 together on one brush strip 15, but rather by inserting a suitable wedge-shaped tool (as indicated by the phantom outline at 28 in Figs. l and 3) into the space between adjacent lugs 25-26 and alongside one of the tab portions 24, as will be clear. A single hammer stroke against the tool 28 may sufficiently Ydrive the lugs 25-26 in the clamping direction.

In certain cases, as when the dimensions of the brush assembly are not large, assembly may be made even more readily. In such cases, I prefer initially to form the pockets or slots 21 of plates 16 with oppositely deflected pairs of lugs 25-26, so that prior to assembly the lugs 25-26 may have the deformed appearance that they have in Fig. 3. The longitudinally tapering openings defined by such lugs 25-26 may readily receive brush strips inserted from the left (inthe sense of Fig. 3), and a longitudinal driving lit of the brush strip 15 into a slot 2l may be all that is needed to bind and to anchor the strip. With a suitable jig or fixture to hold a plurality brush strips 15 in proper longitudinally extending angularly spaced relation, it will be clear that one drive iit of a plate 16 over one end, followed by a drive iit of a second plate 16 over the other end, may complete a brush assembly.

In Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7, I illustrate another form of the invention wherein a plurality of brush strips 15 is anchored in a cylindrical configuration. In the arrangement of Fig. 4, I again employ a single supporting plate 30 which may be stamped and drawn from sheet material. rl'he plate 30 may include a central drawn hub portion 20', and tabs 31 may be defined between a plurality of outwardly open retaining slots 32 for the brush strips 15. When initially formed, the tabs 31 are preferably at and in the same plane as the main body of the supporting plate 3i); thus formed, the slot openings 32 are again (as indicated for the arrangement of Fig. 1) preferably in general conformity with the contour of the base or body 19 of the brush strip, except for a slight clearance to permit brush-strip insertion. The outer limits of the slotted openings 32 are preferably defined by opposed projections 33 tending to close off or to constrict the sides of the slotted openings 32, and the angular extent of the clearance between projections 33 is less than the maximum effective angular extent of the base or binder 19 of the brush strip.

In assembling a structure of the character indicated, all brush strips 15 may be slidably inserted in the appropriate slotted openings 32 of two or more supporting plates 30, as shown in Fig. 5, and the projections 33 at the outer limits of the slots will then radially overlap and thus loosely retain the bulbous bottom or base of the binder i9. The assembly may be secured in several ways, and two such ways are shown in Figs. 6 and 7, respectively. In Fig. 6, all the tabs 31 between adjacent slotted openings 32 have been bent over in a generally longitudinal direction in a deforming operation, as by delivery of a hammer blow; such bending will, in effect, move the end projections 33 of the slotted openings 32 radially inwardly so as to bind upon or to dig into and thus locally inwardly to deform the brush binder 19, as at 34. The construction will be understood to permit not only a secure radial anchorage but also a positive axial location of the binder or brush strip relatively to the supporting means 30.

In Fig. 7, I show how an equally secure anchorage may 'oe achieved upon deliecting or deforming adjacent tabs 3l'-3ll in opposite longitudinal directions. For a better appearance, l prefer that the end supporting plates 3u of any given assembly shall be formed with all the tabs 31 projecting in the same direction, say, in the axially inward direction as far as the complete assembly is concerned, but for the internally disposed supporting plates 30 the alternate bends shown in Fig. 7 may be preferable, for increased rigidity.

In Figs. 8, 9, and l0, I show another arrangement of the parts of Fig. 4. In the arrangement of Fig. 8, I ernploy two plates 35-36, which may be duplicates of each other, and each of the plates 35-36 may be a duplicate of the plate 3G of Fig. 4. Both plates 35-36 are preferably secured to each other, as by means of a number of rivets or spot welds 37. The securing means 37, wherever employed, is preferably located angularly centrally of one of the slotted openings 32, and in the form shown a separate securing means 37 is employed at each such opening 32. It will be appreciated that, since the openings 32 are formed in a simple punching operation, there will naturally be a burred or slightly inwardly drawn edge, as at 38, along the entire outline of each slotted opening 32, and that when two plates 35--36 similarly formed with such burred edges are fastened back to back, as in Figs. 8, 9, and l0, corresponding tab portions 31 of the plates 35-36 will be slightly axially spaced from one another, as at 39, even when the plates are secured at each other. This slight spacing may be suiiicient to permit insertion of a wedging tool to be driven radially inward in the securing operation, as will be explained.

To assemble a structure according to Figs. 8, 9, and l0, the brush strips 15 are again axially slidably inserted through the aligned double slots 32 of successive mounting-plate assemblies 35--36. The brush strips 15 will then be loosely radially retained, as shown in Fig. 9. In the securing operation, a suitable tool is driven into the axial clearance 39 between plates 35--36, and upon the entry of the tool the tabs 31 will be spread apart in a deforming operation so as to produce a symmetrically applied heavy-duty binding anchorage of the brush strip 15, as shown in Fig. l0. It will be noted that once the tabs 31 are spread outwardly into gripping relation with the brush strips, each of the plates 35-36 is independently secured to the brush strips, and a subsequent failure of the securing means 37 will have no deleterious effect on the soundness of the overall brush assembly.

In Figs. ll and l2, I show another modification of the invention wherein a single plate member (40) of sheet material is again employed as the supporting means for the brush strip 15. In the arrangement of Figs. 1l

and 12, however, the initial formation ofthe slotted open ings is of a more restricted area (at least at the radially outer limits of each slot) than the corresponding crosssectional area of the brush strip to be received therein. In the same punching operation as produced the slotted openings, or in a subsequent operation, the tap members 41 between adjacent slotted openings may all be given like or alternately opposed angular twists, as shown in Fig. 1l. The angular twist will be understood to eifectively enlarge the cross-sectional area of the slotted openings beyond that originally stamped out, and the enlargement may be suicient to permit slidable generally longitudinal insertion of the brush strips 15, so as to present the appearance shown in Fig. ll (solid outlines). Securing may be eifected in a further deforming operation which merely seeks to twist the tabs 41 back to their original at positions, as shown in Fig. l2 (solid outlines). When thus twisted, the slotted openings will be returned to their original restricted cross-sectional area, and the brush strips will be locally deformed, as at 42, for secure anchorage.

In certain cases, as when simple brush assemblies of relatively small dimensions are to be made, it will be entirely practical to utilize supporting means, such as the twistedtab arrangement 40 of Fig. ll, without a nal deforming operation. In such cases, all tabs 41 should be twisted in the same sense, as in Fig. 1l, but, when twisted, the normal projected area (i. e. area projected normal to the plane of plate 40) should preferably be less than'the corresponding cross-sectional area of the inserted brush strip. However, because all twisted tabs 41 are inclined in the same sense, brush-strip insertion is possible at an inclination away from a normal to the plane of plate 40 (see the phantom outlines 43 of Fig. l1). Having inserted all brush strips 15 at an angle to the planes of each of a plurality of spaced supporting plates 40, thebrush strips will appear to be spirally oriented with respect to the assembly axis. Assembly may be quickly and effectively secured by partially rotating the plates 40 relatively to each other in the direction to produce a more longitu dinal alignment of the strips 15. This operation willbe understood to effect the desired effective reduction in slot area and to adequately crimp the brush strips in place. The assembly may be maintained by keying or otherwise binding the end plates 4t) to a common shaft (not shown)v as will be clear.

In certain other cases, it may be desirable that the brush strips 15 shall, when assembled, be spirally inclined relatively to the assembly axis. In such cases, the tabs 41 need not be initially twisted and the plate 40 maybe entirely at (as in Fig. l2), but with the slots ofsuicient (normally projected) area freely to receive insertion of the brush strips 15. Assembly may be completed by partially rotating spaced supporting plates 40 relatively to each other so as to produce the spiralled orientation of the brush strips 15 and so as effectively to reduce the slot areas in which the brush strips are received, thereby crimping and binding the brushes to the plates 40.- The assembly may be secured by keying or otherwise clamping plates 40 on a shaft, and the general appearance will=be that of the phantom outlines 44 of Fig. l2.

It will be appreciated that I have described relatively simple securing and mounting means for producing large brush assemblies. My mounting means represents extreme simplicity, and a firm permanent anchorage is assured. My constructions are so cheap to make that it may never be necessary to remove brush elements for replacement, since a new assembly may be supplied at lower cost than the labor and materials required for replacement of brush strips in a worn assembly.

While I have described my invention in detail for the preferred forms shown, it will be understood that modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a brush holder .of the character indicated, an elongated brush strip having a longitudinally extending deformable binder, a plate member of sheet material and having a plurality of spaced slots opening to an edge thereof, each of said slots having a bottom portion and two outwardly directed side portions for direct engagement with said brush binder, when said binder is received generally transversely in one of said slots, said side portions having extremities converging toward each other and partially closing the opening of said slot, each of said slots having an effective section conforming to that of the brush binder and being of a size sufficient to permit slidable insertion of said brush strip therein, the material of said plate member between adjacent edge openings being deformed and further converging said side portions, whereby, after insertion of brush strips in adjacent openings, and after the material of said plate between said adjacent openings has been deformed to effectively further restrict the size of said adjacent openings, said adjacent brush strips may be locally deformed and clamped directly to said plate, the material of said plate member between adjacent edge openings being also substantially continuous over the span between adjacent walls of adjacent openings, whereby said material may provide direct compressional reinforcement of the deforming engagement with said binders.

2. In a brush holder of the character indicated, a plate member of sheet material withv a plurality of spaced brush-strip pockets formed in an edge thereof to directly support and lock a brush binder inserted therein, each of said pockets opening to the edge of said plate member and being of an effective longitudinally projected. crosssectional area substantially coinciding with but slightly exceeding the inserted section of a brush strip to be held therein, the outer limits of each said opening including portions projecting toward each other to partially close olf the open end of each said opening, said portions being formed with a longitudinally extending deformable projection of the material of said plate, whereby, after insertion of brush strips in adjacent openings,V the deformable projection at said openings may be deformed to further close olf said openings and thus securely to hold brush strips in a mounted position on said plate member.

3. As an article of manufacture for use in a brush holder ofthe character indicated, a circular supporting plate integrally formed of sheet material and having a plurality of peripherally spaced radially outwardly facing slotted openings for spaced brush strips, each said opening being-punched out of the material of said plate and being defined by opposed lateral walls converging toward the mouth of the opening, each said opening including atleast on the lateral walls thereof generally longitudinally bent integral lug projections, the material of said plate being deformable, whereby, after a brush strip has been inserted in one of said openings,` the deformable lug projections at the lateral sidesofv an opening may be pinched toward each other inbinding relation with an inserted brush strip.

4. A device according to claim 3, in which said lug projections for each said opening are continuously formed with a further longitudinally extending portion bent from the bottom of the slotted openings, whereby an extended basev may be provided for each lpoint of brushstrip support.

5. As an article of manufacture, a unitary circular plate of deformable sheet material formed with a plurality of spaced generally trapezoidal openings to receive brush strips, said openings including at the outer open limits thereof portions extending to close off said openings, whereby once transversely slidably inserted in one of said openings a brush strip may be relatively loosely retained against radially outward dislodgement from said plate, said plate having at said openings lateral edges which on deformation of said material enable further 7 closing of said openings, whereby the material of said plate between adjacent brush strips may be deformed after assembly of brush strips to said plate in order effectively to further restrict the outer limits of said openings and thereby to bind said brush strips to said plate.

6. As an article of manufacture, a circular plate for supporting a plurality of angularly spaced brush strips in a generally cylindrical brush configuration, said plate being unitary and integrally formed of sheet material with a plurality of outwardly opening brush-receiving slots spaced angularly about the periphery of said plate, each said slot having side walls converging toward the mouth thereof to receive and loosely retain an endwise inserted brush strip, the material of said plate between adjacent slots including a portion deformed at least partly longitudine. ly out of the plane of said plate, and said slots being of an effective projected cross-sectional area closely to clear a brush strip and therefore generally longitudinally slidably to permit insertion of a brush strip therein, whereby after such slidable insertion the longitudinally deformed portion may be subjected to further deformation to crimp brush strips in assembled relation on said plate.

'7. An article according to claim 6, in which said deformed portion is immediately adjacent each said slot, whereby crimping action may be obtained upon an operation tending to flatten the original deformation.

8. An article according to claim 6, in which said generally longitudinally deformed portion includes a part of the wall of a slot bent generally longitudinally to define a generally longitudinally extending wall of the slot, whereby after slidable insertion of a brush strip such generally longitudinal wall portions may be crimped against the sides of inserted brush strips.

9. In a brush assembly of the character indicated, a plurality of longitudinally extending brush strips including longitudinally extending deformable binders, two 1ongitudinally spaced supporting members with outwardly open slots, each of said slots having opposed walls converging toward the mouths thereof and freely receiving and loosely retaining said binders in one relative transverse position of said members, both walls of slots in both said members deformably engaging said binders in another relative transverse position of said members.

10. A brush assembly according to claim 9, in which said members are generally circular plates and in which binding engagement is achieved upon a relative rotational displacement of said members.

1l. In combination, a plurality of peripherally slotted discs, a plurality of elongated brush binders each retained in corresponding slots of adjacent discs, the slots of said discs having for at least one projection a greater crosssectional area than the effective insertable cross-sectional area of one of said brush binders, and means securing said discs against relative rotation for a relative positioning of said discs in which the alignment of corresponding slots in adjacent discs is skewed with respect to the predominant axis of said projection.

12. The combination of claim 11, in which said projection is substantially normal, to the predominant planes of said discs, whereby said brush binders are developed in a helically or skewed relation.

13. The combination of claim 1l, in which said projection is substantially inclined to the normal to the predominant planes of said discs.

14. The combination of claim 13, in which said brush binders are substantially parallel to the axis of said discs.

15. In combination, a plurality of plate members each having a plurality of brush-retaining slots open to an edge thereof, a plurality of elongated brush binders each retained in corresponding slots of adjacent plate members, the slots of said plate members having for at least one projection a greater cross-sectional area than the effective insertable cross-sectional area of one of said brush binders, and means securing said plate members against relative displacement for a relative placement of said plate members in which the alignment of corresponding slots in adjacent plate members is skewed with respect to the predominant axis of said projection.

16. In combination, a plurality of substantially alike spaced sheet-metal plates each integrally including a plurality of adjacent peripheral lugs defining therebetween outwardly facing slotted openings, a plurality of elongated brush assemblies including deformable sheet-metal channel shaped brush binders passing generally transversely through corresponding openings of said plates and immediately adjacent the slot walls defined solely by said lugs, adjacent walls of said adjacent lugs converging towards the mouths of the slotted openings to an extent exceeding the maximum channel width of the brush binder but defining an effective slot-opening cross-section of a size to freely receive said brush binders upon longitudinal insertion, whereby an assembly of said brush binders and of said plates may be loosely retained prior to final securing, said lugs being deformed and further converging on deformation of said lugs to enable further convergence of the adjacent walls of adjacent lugs, Whereby the brush binders received between said deformed lugs may be securely locally deformed and clamped directly to said plates, the material of said plates between adjacent slots being substantially continuous over the span between adjacent walls of adjacent slots, whereby said lugs may provide direct compressional reinforcement of the deforming engagement with said binders.

17. The combination of claim 16, in which one of said walls at each slot includes a generally longitudinally extending integral projection deformed laterally into secure locally deformed direct crimping engagement with one of said brush binders.

18. The combination of claim 16, in which the lugs adjacent slotted openings containing brush binders are bent over in a longitudinal direction to effectively restrict each such slotted opening and thereby to locally deform and secure a brush binder with a direct crimping engagement.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 628,668 Knecht .iuly 11, 1899 711,544 Tesch Oct. 21, 1902 968,820 Vardell Aug. 30, 1910 991,876 Murray May 9, 1911 1,011,831 Murray Dec. 12, 1911 2,349,644 Wesemeyer May 23, 1.944 2,605,490 Dolan Aug. 5, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 507,062 Germany Sept. 11, 1930 

